Email

THE shock at the sudden loss is palpable, but so is the intense pride that she lived among us.

Asma Jahangir was a citizen that all of Pakistan could be proud of and whom most can only hope to emulate.

Principled and courageous, Asma’s willingness and determination to confront evil, defend the vulnerable, and insist on Pakistan living up to the ideals of its democratic, constitutional and secular foundations made her truly iconic.

A woman who lived the majority of her adult life in the public eye, Asma eschewed self-promotion for a steadfast and remarkable focus on the issues that ought to be of concern to every right-thinking and sensible citizen.

Asma was a formidable lawyer and a person of remarkable intellect, but always spoke in a universal language of the rights of the vulnerable and accountability of the powerful.

Her eloquent yet forceful defence of victims and the vulnerable everywhere will be greatly missed.

While Asma Jahangir tirelessly travelled the country and the globe to promote humans rights and other admirable causes, it is her lifelong struggle against dictatorship and authoritarianism that is perhaps defining.

Her father, Malik Ghulam Jilani, bravely denounced military atrocities in what was then East Pakistan, and before long, Asma was fighting the dictatorship of Ziaul Haq in the streets.

Jailed by Gen Zia and placed under house arrest by another military dictator Pervez Musharraf, she never ceased to speak out against the harms of dictatorship and authoritarianism.

While her criticisms would have surely stung, most authoritarians and praetorians appeared to be afraid of Asma.

They needed to be.

Asma’s principled positions made her a formidable opponent. In recent years, the depth of those principles has been on display when it comes to the MQM.

Long detested by Altaf Hussain for her vociferous denunciations of MQM militancy and violence in Karachi and other parts of urban Sindh, Asma was also emphatic in her criticism of vicious state action against the party and vigorously defended the right of voters to elect their chosen representatives unimpeded.

Losing an iconic champion of human rights, a lion of democracy and the rule of law would be difficult for any society.

For Pakistan, the loss of Asma Jahangir has come at yet another brittle historical moment, with uncertainty plaguing the democratic project in the country.

Democracy may find a path to continuity, but the challenges to the democratic project, both from anti-democratic forces and from within the political class, are significant.

The institutions of democracy are weak and the already attenuated systems for protecting fundamental rights are under further attack.

Till her last days, Asma Jahangir fought the good fight. Her work is now over, but Pakistan’s is not as darkness continues to sweep across the country.

May new champions of democracy, rights and human goodness arise — and soon.

On DawnNews

Comments (40) Closed

AW

Feb 12, 2018 07:33am

Very well articulated editorial. She was most certainly a bright light in the dark room. Her boldness and courage to always stand with the truth in face of tyranny is deeply respected and shall be remembered in the history of Pakistan.

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Victor

Feb 12, 2018 07:40am

RIP....what a lady she was

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khaled

Feb 12, 2018 08:04am

A well deserved tribute to a great Lady, may her soul rest in peace.

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S.Ahmad

Feb 12, 2018 08:10am

Couldn't agree ore !

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Ayesha Sadozai

Feb 12, 2018 08:15am

Many prayers for this noble soul, a fine obituary in this editorial. In the present circumstances, with all manners of mullahs and other anti-democratic and inhuman forces proliferating in Pakistan, Ms Jahangir's demise is specially worrisome. There are not many people left of her stature to stand up against such creatures, anymore.

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Irongloves

Feb 12, 2018 08:22am

Your editorial is spot on to the last full stop. Brave and heroic, Asma Jahangir the fearless and relentless Pakistani human rights activist should have world-wide nomination for a posthumous Nobel prize.

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Praveen

Feb 12, 2018 08:23am

She is not only Pakistani but citizen of the world. It will impact Pakistan most but will motivate next generation to come out and fight for independence and democracy.

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Attorney Tausif Kamal

Feb 12, 2018 08:31am

Stirring editorial of DAWN so deserving for a great fighter of human rights, equality and rule of law as Asma Jehangir. Seems not too long ago our nation was similarly engulfed in another nationwide sense of loss and helplessness lin the death of Benazir Bhutto. Her sudden death is a huge, huge loss to Pak nation and Pak people for whom she fought so courageously and selflessly . Asma was the conscience of Pakistan. A true hero. The country grows darker because of her sudden absence. Hope we as a nation recovers soon from this numbing tragedy and may the powers that be learn some lessons from the causes of the poor, the victimized, the weak the discriminated she valiantly, brilliantly and fearlessly espoused..May Almighty bless her always. Ameen.

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Feroz

Feb 12, 2018 08:34am

A real champion whose contribution to cause and country will be long remembered. If she can inspire even a few to walk in her footsteps, the country will benefit immensely. May her Soul rest in eternal peace !

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hm

Feb 12, 2018 08:58am

Very much in agreement wit editorial.
Will miss her boldest comments and standing firm against any if she diagreed. Always believed and fought for democracy. RIP.

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Rizwan

Feb 12, 2018 09:28am

Very well description of a brave lady who was not afraid of anybody.

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Jamil

Feb 12, 2018 09:34am

A sad day indeed.May her soul rest in peace.

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Lily Al

Feb 12, 2018 10:03am

FEARLESS Lioness... salute to her

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Shafiullah Soomro

Feb 12, 2018 10:08am

Undoubtedly she was a remarkable and brave lady.

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T R Bhat

Feb 12, 2018 10:14am

Your editorial tribute to Asma Jahangir was thought-provoking. That a woman in a closed, inward looking, male dominated society could stand up for values dear to every human being should inspire the new generations in South Asia to emulate her life. That she worked in a country which was too frequently plagued by military dictatorship and religious bigotry gives us hope that it is possible to pursue one's beliefs. Compliments to your paper for the forthright views.

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Srinath

Feb 12, 2018 11:01am

Her death is the biggest blow to democracy in Pakistan. We have also lost a great champion of peace in the sub-continent.Indeed, the world is poorer without this braveheart who took on the high and mighty in defence of the underdog.

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mangoman

Feb 12, 2018 11:26am

She was the personification of the word "citizen". A role model for all right thinking men, women and children across not just Pakistan but greater south east Asia and even the world. She brought grace and dignity to the profession of lawyers when in today's world it's much maligned. It's a great loss, she left so early and suddenly. I can only offer my sympathies to her family who I pray will find the strength to endure this immense loss. She left very large shoes for us common citizens to fill.

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Taimur

Feb 12, 2018 11:30am

It was about midnight in Canada when we heard about the sad news. The rest of night we could not sleep. We felt we lost a family member. In Vancouver sunny days are rare in winter. It was a sunny day but very gloomy. She was a ray of hope. I have no answer to the question asked by my kids that who will stand for the rights of people in Pakistan.She will be always missed

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baig

Feb 12, 2018 11:57am

What a brilliant tribute to a brilliant lady.

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Anti-Corruption_Pakistani

Feb 12, 2018 12:05pm

In my view, there is a difference between being honest and over spoken emotionally, and Asma Jahangir sometimes crossed the red line in her unique way and paid the price. A good lawyer with turbulent attitude!

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Gopal Bairagi

Feb 12, 2018 12:20pm

Great lady with great heart !

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Sabih Mohsin

Feb 12, 2018 12:35pm

She is a true lioness of Pakistan

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KAZIM REZA

Feb 12, 2018 01:04pm

She infused indomitable courage during her lifetime while Pakistani society under iron bar in different crisis.Like a phoenix bird he raised herself.

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Mairaj Usmani

Feb 12, 2018 01:11pm

A sad sad day of our history. We will always remember your gallantry, steadfastness and courage. The voice that always stood for the rights of people especially the oppressed.

"The brave die never, though they sleep in dust: Their courage nerves a thousand living men."

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Shalman

Feb 12, 2018 01:17pm

RIP

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Shazia Ummad

Feb 12, 2018 01:20pm

What a fearless lady she was. I salute her for her struggle. and I salute her family who extended never ending support to her in all the difficult times of life, when she was jailed, when she was protesting on streets. Its very uncommon in our society that families allow their women to fight for their ideas on streets and in the jail. May her soul rest in peace....

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Citizen of karAchi

Feb 12, 2018 01:21pm

There is a sense of personal loss in hearing this news. With her around, one was always sure there is an articulate voice around who will rise to the occasion and set the tone for discussion on that specific issue. She would be missed for a very long time.

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being human

Feb 12, 2018 04:00pm

May her soul rest in peace

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Pakistani

Feb 12, 2018 04:35pm

With security guards and police around, definitely she is fearless...

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Ram K Chopra

Feb 12, 2018 05:12pm

With great admiration and respect for her participation.

Hope and prey many many more looking at her example will come forward.

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Shafique Turi

Feb 12, 2018 05:35pm

What a great human being we lost, a mother of lawyers, a mother of social activist, champion of democracy, defender of hopeless and poor people across the board and above all voice of the voiceless people. Rest in peace Asma Jahangir, you will be alive in our hearts for long and in the history for ever.

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A shah

Feb 12, 2018 05:51pm

A strong lady who stood up to the dictators and corrup generals

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Mumtaz

Feb 12, 2018 06:21pm

I cant stop crying...never knew it was possible to cry for a person you never met, but such was our great Asma. Rest in Peace Asma.

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Bulla

Feb 12, 2018 09:00pm

Once told about Indira Gandhi as the only man amongst many in the system, same is true for Asma. RIP

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SJ

Feb 12, 2018 10:08pm

It’s a great loss for Jinnah’s Pakistan. Very few stood up like Jinnah and Asma certainly was the one. What a loss. Asma will be missed badly.
Rest In Peace Respected Warrior.

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B.C. khare

Feb 13, 2018 01:26am

@Irongloves yes I agree in totality.she is worthy of noble prize, posthumously.

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Sher Jang Gilgit-Baltistan

Feb 13, 2018 04:43pm

I think there is not a slight challenge to the continuity of democratic flow from the anti democratic forces but those challenges seems significant when we have a look on the outlines of the custodians of the Democratic parties themselves. The head of the political parties are bend upon making their respective parties dynastic rather than democratic and that is the point where the allegation that anti democratic forces are pushing for winding up the continuity becomes a hallow claim devoid of any substance. For no one is going to derail it but the politicians themselves as the tenures of most of them were infested with reports of corruption of mega size, mismanagement, nepotism, horsetrading and political sleaze. It is time to eschew their old ways or simply give way to the sincere cum honest ones. Peace.

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M Y

Feb 13, 2018 08:59pm

Ask not what your country can do for you, Ask what you can do for your country !
I would admire those , who did some thing good for Pakistan, A laborer, lawyer, soldier, judge, student or a street sweeper love the most. All who spoke or did something for money and made lot of money like most Pakistanis politicians have no respect from most of us as patriotic citizen of Pakistan ! The rest is the story.

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Optimistic 43

Feb 13, 2018 09:43pm

An outspoken Asma Jahsngir left us in the hands of those who speak by keeping silence.

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Yasmin

Feb 14, 2018 08:54am

She stood for what was right and just. She was bold, courageous and gutsy lawyer. Not many in Pakistan with the same courage. May her soul rest in eternal peace.